Ethanol and Isopropanol Analysis in Hand Sanitizers by GC/FID

The coronavirus pandemic continues to cause shortages on hand sanitizers as people are doing their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Hand sanitizers are hard for consumers to find, but some companies with laboratories equipped for laboratory testing are stepping up to help meet the demands by using their isopropanol and ethanol to make sanitizer.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are typically prepared with isopropyl alcohol, or a form of denatured ethanol, which is the major component of the mixture. The concentration of the alcohol determines how effective the sanitizer is, and it must meet regulatory guidelines. For accurate results with excellent stability for samples containing high level of water-alcohol mixes, Agilent’s DB-624 UI has proven to effectively resolve IPA and EtOH as well as fusel oils and acetaldehyde if that analysis is required. The DB-WAX column has also shown to have a positive impact on the quantification of alcohols in alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

For more guidelines and ordering information, check out our brochure on alcohol-based hand sanitizer analysis.

Chrom Tech is a Minnesota-based, worldwide distributor of chromatography instrumentation and supplies and mass spectrometry supplies. We carry vials, well plates, syringe filters, solvent waste containers and all other critical chromatography and spectrometry supplies. Contact Chrom Tech to become your preferred supplier of chromatography and mass spectrometry supplies.